Bottle-support for bottle-filling machines.



Patentgd Nov. 20, |900. F. L 'NICHOLS & W. M.v FOWLER. BDTTLE SUPPORT FUR BOTTLE FILLING MACHINES.

4 Sheets-Sheet I.

' (Application led May 23, 1900.)

(No Model.)

ATTI.

/NVENTORS Mdc. C I/lyblcrcd 22am Q M AUTUMN-1 WWW N0. 662,086. Paten'ted NOV. 20, |900. F. L. N ICHLS'. vW. M. FWLER. BOTTLE SUPPORT FOR BOTTLE FILLING MACHINES.

(implication mea may 23, 1900.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.;

W/TNESSES ATTY.

THE Noms P:T:ns co.. maremma.. wAsmNcwN. o. c.

No. 662,086. Patented Nov. 2o, |909.

F. L. N|cHuLs'& w. M. FuwLE. BOTTLE SUPPORT FUR BOTTLE F'ILLING MACHINES.

(Application filed May 23, 1900.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

T0/46.017311, I 7 Mify@ mrraonms vrrzns oa. PnoYoLlTHo.. wur-Immun. u, c..

Patented Nov. 20, |900.

4 Sheets-'Sheet 4.

(Application led May 23. 1900,-

F. L. NIOHOLS W. M. FOWLER. BOTTLE SUPPORT FOR BOTTLE FILLING MACHINES.

l I I l l I I I l l I (No Model.;

UIQ

PHoYoumo.. wAsmNavoN n c {TNITED STATES ATENT EEICEO FRANK L. NICHOLS, or NEW YORK, N. Y., AND WILLIAM M. FOWLER, OE

STAMEORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT `AND MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, To THE NEW IDEAS MACHINE COMPANY, CE WEST VIRGINIA.

BOTTLE-SUPPORT FOR BOTTLE-FILLING MACHINES;

SPECIFICATIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. 662,086, dated November 2o, 1900. Application nea May' z3, 1900. semi No. 17,030. (No model.)

To @ZZ wtolit il; itaj/ concern: v

Be it known that we, FRANK L. NICHOLS, a resident of the city of New York, (Brooklyn,) county of Kings,State of New York, and WIL- LIAM MILES FOWLER, a resident of Stamford, county of Fairlield, State of Connecticut, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle- Supports for Bottle-FillingMachines,of which the followingis ai'ull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

rlhis invention relates to a Inachine for filiing bottles or other vessels in which the operation of filling is effected by a series of filler-tips carried and reciprocated by a supporting-head relatively to the bottles or vessels to be filled, which are arranged in a group or bank composed of successive parallel ranks of bottles or Vessels of uniform dimensions and which ranks are successively presented to the series of filler-tips, so that the mouths or filling-apertures of said bottles or vessels will severally register with and be entered by said filler-tips during a thrust of the tip-supporting head in the direction toward said rank.

This invention consists, primarily, in the combination, in a machine of the class stated, with the reciprocatory tip-supporting head carrying iiller-tips in a series, of a bottle-support movable in the machine in the direction across the plane of the path of movement of said head, engageable means carried by said support, and engaging means slidably Inovable on the machine-frame within fixedly adjustable variable limits thereon to gI-ip the engageable means on the support when said engaging means is moved in one direction and to release said engageable means when said engaging means is reversely moved, whereby bottles or vessels of any given lateral diameter arranged in successive ranks in a group or bank Inay be presented in said successive ranks to severally register with and have their mouths or filling-apertures severally entered by the filler-tips of the series thereofl during a thrust of the tip-supporting head toward each said rank, so that a single machine will be capable of use to fill bottles or vessels of various and different dimensions; and the invention lfurther coniprises the combination, in a machine of the class sta-ted, with the reciprocatory tip-supporting head, of a platform to support the bot'- tles or vessels to be filled, ways to be traversed by said platform and extending on the machine-frame in the direction at rightl angles to the path of movement ot' said tipsupporting head, a bar or analogous means carried by and exlendi ng longitudinally of said platform and provided toward the rearward end thereof with a collar, which is fixedly adjustable longitudinally of said bar, and a projection carried on the machine-frame and engageable by said collar during the movement of the platform in the direction toward the front of the machine, whereby when bottles or vessels of any uniform lateral diameter are arranged in successive parallel ranks in a group or bank on said platform the limit of movement of the platform in the direction toward the forward side of the machine may be fixed at a point to cause the mouths or filling-orifices of the initial rank of said bottles or vessels to severally register with the filler-tips of a series thereof carried by the reciprocatory head; and Ille invention still further comprises the combination, in a machine of the class stated, with the reciprocatory tip-supporting head, a platform to support the bottles or vessels to be filled, ways to be traversed by said platform and extending on the machineframe in the direction at right angles to the path of movement of said tip supporting head and a bar or analogous means carried by and. extending longitudinally of said platform, of aguide-bar extending longitudinally of and having longitudinal play on the Inachine-frame, a screw having bearing in an arm on said guide-bar and working in a threaded seat on the machine-frame,and a IOO said carrier in the opposite direction toward the stop on the machine-frame, whereby by means of said screw the guide-bar may be longitudinally adjusted on the machine-frame to vary the distance between the shoulder :thereon and the stop on the machine-frame,

and hence vary the limit of traverse of the carrier on said bar in the direction toward said shoulder thereon, and hence the limit of each successive movement of the platform in said direction, so that when bottles or vessels of any uniform lateral diameter are arranged in successive parallel ranks in a group or bank on said platform the platform may be successively moved the predetermined distances to cause the mouths or lling-orifces of the bottles or vessels in the successive ranks thereof to severally register with fillertips of a series thereof` in said reciprocatory head, and the invention still further comprises, in a machine of the class stated, in which the platform to support the bottles or vessels to be filled is movable on ways extending iu the machine in the direction at right angles to the pathof movement, of a reciprocatory tip-supporting head, and said platform is provided Wtha bar or analogous means extending longitudinally thereof and a guide-barextendslongitudinally on the machine-frame with a carrier slidably mounted on said guide-bar, the combination, with said carrier, of a clutch pivotally mounted and spring-tensioned on its said bearing in said carrier and provided with a radially-extending recess in its body on one side of its said pivot engageable by the pin of a cran k-arm on a rock-shaft in the machine to `oscillate the clutch and reciprocate the carrier on its guide-bar between a shoulder on said bar and a projection on the machine-frame, and said clutch having jaws on its body on the side thereof oppositeV to its said radial recess to grip the platform-bar when the clutch is oscillated and the carrier is thrown in the direction toward the said shoulder on a guidebar and to release and traverse said platform-bar when said clutch is oscillated and` ysaid carrier is thrown in the opposite direc vertical sectional elevation of the same on Fig. 3 is a horizontal Fig. 4

the line x, Fig. l. section taken on the line y y, Fig. 2.

is an enlarged plan of the devices preferably employed as adjustable means to effect the `successive movements of the bottle-supporting platform through varying distances. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 6 is an end elevation of said devices. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the oscillatory clutch preferably employed to effect the said movement f said platform, and Fig. 8 is a sectional edge View of the same and its pivotal and tensioning seat.

In the machine illustrated A is a head eX- tending laterally of the machine between standards A and supporting filler-tips A2 in a series, as shown, and vertically reciprocatory in the machine, as by bars a, to which the opposite ends of the head are connected and which play in ways a' in said standards and are actuated through linksc, severally pivotally con nected to said bars and to crankarms a3 on a rock-shaft d, having bearings in the machine-frame and operated byia handle-crank a5.

Bis a platform to support the bottles or vessels to be filled and may be constituted as a skeleton frame adapted to receive trays or holders in `which the bottles to be filled are grouped in a bank consisting of successive parallel ranks of bottles of uniform lateral diameterand composed of longitudinal sections b and lateral end sections b'. The said platform is movable in the machine in the direction across the plane of the path of movement of the tip-supporting head A, and for this purpose ways a6 may be provided on the machine-frame, extending longitudinally thereof andat right angles to the pathpf movement of said tip-supporting head, with guides b2 on the platform to engage and traverse said ways. One of said ways is preferably furnished with friction-rollers b3 for engagement by one of the platform-guides, the

other said guide resting throughout its length upon the upward face of the other said way,

Vwhich is constituted in the form of a continuous rail, as shown. The platform in its movement on said ways will have a desirable ease of traverse, while the friction between one of its guides and the respective way serve to overcome any momentum the platform may acquire in its successive movements on the ways, so that iin said movements it will not be projected beyond the desired and predetermined point of stoppage. Any other and equivalent means than the described platform may be employed for the support and progressive movements in the direction stated of bottles or vessels to be filled.

In carrying outa feature of the invention there is combined with the reciprocatory tipsupporting head adjustable means to successively move through a distance equal to the lateral diameter of bottles or vessels to be filled across the plane of the path of movement of said head bottles or vessels of dilferent lateral diameters, and such adjustable means for said purpose desirably comprises the platform B, movable on ways on the machine-` frame, as described, and the following-described devices-namely, a bar or analogous IOO IIO

means C, mounted on and extending longitudinally of said platform B, as by the ends c on the bar seated in the vertically-slotted apertures c, formed in the end sections b of l the platform, so that the bar has a desirable play in its seat on the frame, a guide-bar D extending longitudinally of and having longitudinal play on tbe machine-frame, as in a sleeve-bearing d on the rearward side of the frame and a sleeve-bracket CZ' on the forward side of said frame, a set-screw D', having bearing in an arm d2 on the forward end of bar D and working in a threaded seat on the machine-frame, as in a lug Fon the bracket df, and 'a carrier desirably composed of a metal block having a longitudinal recess ein one side to fit and slidably mount the carrier on the bar D, whereon it has longitudinal play between a shoulder (Z4 on said guide-bar D and a stop on the machine-frame, which said stop may be constituted by the rearward end di of the sleeve-bracket d', the saidI carrier being provided with means, such as a clutch, to engage the platform-bar C and move said platform in the same direction with the carrier when said carrier is moved on the guidebar D in the direction toward the shoulder d4 thereon and to release said platform-bar and so permit said platform to remain stationary on its ways during the movement of said carrier in the opposite direction toward the stop d5 on the forward part of the machine-frame.

It is evident that by a manipulation of the set-screw D' the guide-bar D may be longitudinally adjusted on the machine-frame to vary the distance in any desired degree between the shoulder (Z4 on said bar and the stop d5 on the machine-frame, and hence to vary the limit of traverse of' the carrier E on said bar rearwardly of the machine in the direction toward said shoulders on the bar, and consequently to limit each successive movement of the platform to a predetermined distance in said direction, so that when bottles or vessels of any uniform lateral dialneter are arranged in successive parallel ranks in a group or bank on the platform B the platform may be successively moved the predetermined distances, equal tothe lateral diameter of said bottles or vessels, to cause the mouths or filling-orifices of the bottles or vessels in the successive ranks thereof to severally register with iiller-tips of a series thereof on said reciprocatory head A in effecting the filling operation of the bottles or vessels by said tips in the usual and wellknown lmanner` The said clutch E, provided on the carrier E, is desirably composed of a body e', which is pivotally mounted, as by a laterally-extending pivot-shaft e2, journaled in a transverse bearing-aperture c3 in the carrier, preferably located above the guide-bar recess c therein, and the clutch is desir-ably tensioned on its said pivot in the carrier, as by a spring e" acting between a face of the carrier and a flange or washer e5 on the pivot-shaft e2, to maintain the clutch in engageable posit-ion relatively to its actuating means, presently described, when said clutch is disengaged by said means, as presently set forth, and the body of the clutch carries laterally-projecting twin jaws e6, respectively, having the opposed and parallel faces e7, which when the clutch is oscillated in one direction are parallel to, fit snugly upou,and grip the upper and under faces of the platform-bar C and cause the said bar and the platform B to move on the machine-frame with the carrier E in the direction toward the stop-shoulder d* on the guide-bar D, and said clutch-jaws respectively1 have the faces e8 at opposite edges of the respective jaws outwardly and similarly ineined from th'e faces e7 thereon, so that when the clutch is reversely' oscillated and said faces es of the jaws are brought parallel to the upper and u nder faces of the platform-bar the jaws will disengage from said faces of said bar and permit the bar and the platform to remain stationary on the machine-frame while the carrier and its clutch are reversely moved on the guide-bar toward the stop d5, and the clutch is also desirably formed with an extension on its body on the side thereof opposite of the pivot to the part carrying the jaws, and in said extension is formed a radially-reaching recess e9, which is engageable by the pin of a crankarm a7 on a rock-shaft, which maybe the heretofore-described rock-shaft a4.

In the operation of the machine when the cra-nk a5 is manipulated to oscillate the shaft d4 in the direction to effect a downward thrust of the head A the crank-arm a7 on said shaft will during the initial portion of said oscillation of said shaft engage the radial recess e9 in the clutch E and oscillate the clutch in the direction to cause it to engage the platform-bar C and to move the carrier E and platform B in the direction toward the shoulder d" on the guide-bar D, and when the said crank a5 is then manipulated to reversely oscillate the shaft a" to effect an upward movement of the said head A the crank-arm a7 will in traversing the clutch-recess e oscillate the clutch in the opposite direction to an engagement of the recessed extension thereof with a laterally and downwardly projecting shoulder ewou the carrier and will then move said carrier on the guide-bar in the direction toward the stop d5 on the machine, the said crank-arm afthereupon escaping from said clutch-recess during the further oscillation in the same direction of shaft fr* in elevating the head A, and the tension-spring of the clutch serving to maintain said clutch in position on the carrier E to be rengaged by said crankarm in the next succeeding oscillation of the rock-shaft. Any other and equivalent form of clutch device to perform the functions described may be employed in place of that herein specifically shown and described without material variation from this feature of the invention.

In carrying out a further feature of the in- IOO IIO

means, as a collar or slotted block C', is combined with the bar C, preferably toward the end thereof to the rearward of the path in the machine of the reciprocatory head A, and said means is capable of longitudinal movement on said bar and is given fixed adjustability thereon, as by a set-screw c2, and a ,projection or shoulder may be desirably also provided on the machine and may conveniently be constituted by the laterally-projecting jaws of the clutch, which reach across said bar C, as hereinbefore set forth, to be engaged by said means on said bar in the retraction movement of the platform and its bar C toward the front f the machine, and hence to check the movement of said platform in said direction.

It is evident that when bottles or vessels of any uniform lateral diameter are arranged in successive parallel ranks on the platform B the said adjustable means C on the bar C may be fixed at a point thereon to limit the movement of the platform in its retraction toward the front of the machine to a position whereat when the platform is successively retracted to the limit of its movement in such direction in the continuous operation of the machine the months or lilling-orifices of the initial rank of said bottles or vessels will always severally register with filler-tips of a series thereof carried by the reciprocatory head A, and it is evident that a single supporting and movable platform containing the described invention may be employed in a machine of the class stated without extraneous adjuncts to present bottles or vessels of any given uniform lateral diameter arranged in successive parallel ranks on the platform to filler-tips of a series thereofcarried by a reciprocatory head to have the mouths or filling-orifices of said bottles or vessels severally register with said filler-tips in the operation of filling in the well-known manner.

What we claim as ourinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a bottle-lilling machine the combination with a reciprocatory tip-supporting head carrying filler-tips, in a series, of a bottlesupport movable in the machine in the direction across the plane of the path of movement of said head, engageable means carried platform and extending in the direction at right angles to the plane of the path of movement of said head, engageable means carried to the rearward of said plane of the path of movement of said head and a stop on the machine forward of said plane and to engage said engageable means on said platform when said slidable means is moved on said adjustable bar in the direction toward the shoulder thereon and to release said engageable means on the platform when said slidable means is reversely moved on said bar.

3. In abottle-filling machine the combination with a reciprocatory tip-supporting head carrying filler-tips in a series, of a bottle-supporting platform, ways traversable by said platform and extending in the direction at right angles to the plane of the path of movement of said head, a bar carried by and extending longitudinally of said platform, a guide-bar extending longitudinally of the machine-frame and having longitudinal play thereon, a set-screw having bearing in an arm i on said guide-bar and working in a threaded seat on the machine-frame, and a carrier slidably mounted on said guide-bar to play between a shoulder thereon to the rearward of said plane of the pathof movement of said head and a stop on the machine-frame for-` `filler-tips and is provided with a bar extending longitudinally thereof and a guide-bar extends longitudinally on the machine-frame with a carrier slidably mounted thereon, the combination with said carrier, of a clutch comprising a body which is pivot-ally mounted to oscillate on said carrier and provided with laterally-projecting twin jaws respectively having opposed and parallel faces to lit upon and grip the upper and under faces of the platform-bar when the clutch is oscillated in one direction and with faces at opposite edges of the respective jaws and similarly outwardly inclined from said grippingfaces thereon and which are parallel to and free of said faces of the platform-bar when said clutch is reversely oscillated.

5. In a bottle-filling machine in which the bottle-supporting platform is movable in the direction across the plane of the path of movement of the reciprocatory head carrying the filler-tips and is provided with a bar extending longitudinally thereof and a guide-bar ex- IOO IIO

tends longitudinally on the machine-frame with a carrier slidably mounted thereon, the combination with said carrier, of an oscillatory clutch, tensioned thereto at its pivotal bearing thereon and having laterally-projecting twin jaws to engage and grip said platform-bar when the clutch is oscillated in one direction and to disengage and release said bar when said clutch is reversely vibrated, and provided with a radially-projecting extension having therein a radially-extending recess, together with a crank-arm on a rockshaft in the machine-frame to engage in said recess and osoillate said clutch, to engage its jaws to the platform-bar and move Said carrier in one direction on said guide-bar with said platform, when said rock-shaft is oscillated in one direction, and to reversely oscillate said clutch, to disengage its jaws from said platform-bar and to reversely move said carrier on said guide-bar, by engagement of the clutch, in its said reverse oscillation, with a projection on said carrier, and then to escape from said recess in said clutch, when said rock-shaft is reversely oscillated.

6. In a bottle-filling machine the combination with a reciprocatory head carrying fillertips, ,and a bottle-supporting platform movable on ways in the direction across the plane of the path of movement of said head and oarrying a bar extending longitudinally thereof, of a guide-bar extending longitudinally of the machine-frame and having longitudinal play in bearings and a sleeve-bracket fixed on the forward side of said frame, a set-screw having bearing in an arm on the forward end of said guide-barand workingin a threaded seat in a lug on said sleeve-bracket, and a carrier slidably mounted on said guide-bar to play between a shoulder thereon and the rearward end of said sleeve-bracket and provided with means to engage the platform-bar when said carrier is moved on the guide-bar toward the shoulder thereon and to release said platformbar when said carrier is reversely moved on said guide-bar.

7. In a bottle-filling machine the combination with a reciprocatory head carrying fillertips, and a bottle-supporting platform movable in the machine in the direction across the plane of the path of movement of said head and in one direction Within fixedly-adjustable variable limits through any determined distance, of a bar carried by and extending longitudinally of said platform and provided with radially or laterally projecting means thereon having fixed adjustability longitudinally thereof and astop on the machineframe to be engaged by said projecting means on said platform-bar during a movement of said platform in the opposite direction in the machine.

8. In a bottle-filling machine in which the bottle-supporting platform is movable across the plane of the path of movement 0f a reciprocatory head carrying filler-tips and has a bar carried by and extending longitudinally of said platform, and a bar mounted on the machine-frame extends longitudinally thereof alongside said platform', the combination therewith, of a carrier composed of a block which is longitudinally recessed at one side to t and slidably mount the block upon the said bar on the machine-frame, and a clutch on said carrier engaging said platform-bar to grip it and carry said bar and platform with it during successive movements of the carrier on the bar on the machine-frame in the direction across the plane of the path of movement of said tip-supporting head.

Signed at Ne7 York city,State of New York, this 11th day of May, A. D. 1900.

FRANK L. NICHOLS. WILLIAM M. FOWLER.

Witnesses:

ARDEN S. FITCH, R. L. YOUNG. 

